ABOUT THIS ALBUM

"Wake the Nightingale" is serene, though not a traditional lullaby album. There are a few Appalachian tunes, some originals, two Irish songs and one in Swahili, a spoken word piece nested in a background of Cherokee chant, and a couple of instrumentals. The instruments used are guitar, piano, mountain dulcimer, dobro, celtic harp, shruti box, glockenspiel, sand drum, and lots of vocal harmonies. Unlike most CDs, it starts (somewhat) full and grows quieter as it goes along... this was done with the intention of helping the listener feel progressively more peaceful (and perhaps even fall asleep.) It's suitable for any age. Unfortunately, the ghost track ( a celtic harp/waterfall/sand drum instrumental and one of my favourites) is not available digitally for technical reasons (which I somewhat understand but cannot adequately explain! )

I speak for all involved when I say this album was made with a lot of love, and the intent to soothe and comfort. We hope it will do just that.

My best to everyone ~ Rosemary

PS ~ The album artwork and liner notes are available on my main website: www.rosemaryphelan.net
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ROSEMARY PHELAN ~ BIO

"...a beacon..."(Steve Clarke, Acoustic Planet)

"... like love at first sight..." Roger Wise, Restless Mornings

"... an incisive lyricist... songs that deserve a close listen." David Francey

Rosemary Phelan has run the gamut from calling square dances in the hills of northern Vermont to singing Mozart in the halls of the Royal Conservatory. Somewhere between the barn and the recital hall she found the music of her heart.

The grace and losses encountered during a tumultuous, nomadic childhood, time spent eking out a hard-won living in the bush, and her years as a community nurse in the urban core live in Rosemary's songs. She sincerely hopes the goodness she found at the root of it all can be found there, too.

In addition to writing and performing, Rosemary facilitates a unique songwriting workshop series, "right|:|left WRITE", in Toronto. She also offers seminars on the use of live music with individuals who are very ill or dying, a practice which is especially close to her heart. Rosemary's work in this area will be featured in a CBC documentary scheduled to air in 2009.

Since easing into the local music scene less than four years ago, Rosemary has had the privilege of writing the soundtrack for the successful play "Chemo Brain", which continues to tour in the U.S. She's shared stages with some of the finest roots musicians in Canada, released two full-length albums, won the 2008 "Song of the Year" Porcupine Award for her song "Hummingbird", and sung backing vocals on several fantastic albums. In April 2009 an instrumental version of Rosemary's song "Firefly," arranged by Jason LaPrade, was chosen by the Toronto Transit Commission as the soundtrack for a video memorial (please see the "news" page here for more on that). Rosemary continues to perform regularly with super-talented multi-instrumentalist Jason LaPrade, and as a backing vocalist for fellow artists.

Spurred on by the well-intentioned prodding of friends, Rosemary is currently mining the winding tracts of her life for a book of stories and songs, "A Fire of Roses." She'd like to mention that she wakes up and falls asleep counting her blessings, yet has never made it all the way to the end of the list. She wishes the same for you, with all her heart.

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